Posted In: Blog Discussion
Amidst all the hype surrounding Usain Bolt’s 100m world record, many overlooked a result from this past weekend that is perhaps just as, if not more, surprising. Jeremy Wariner LOST. I didn’t think he could do that. The man’s been a machine for the past 4 years. In fact, I think the last race he lost was in 2005 (not including one in which he DNF’d). His time was still great: 44.07 but he didn
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I’m not worried about Wariner’s progression so far this season. Last year at this time he was running consistent mid 44’s with one race in the low 44’s and he seems to be on the same path this year.
I think Merritt has the best shot at beating Wariner at the Olympics but I have to give the edge to the guy who hasn’t lost when it counted… pretty much ever.
thats is true that hes there abouts at the same compared to last year at this point- but look at what he acheived last season compared to the season before. he finished the season with way more consistantly great time last year which means he has obviously grown into a better running going into this season compared to last. although i’d still put my money on him for the olympics at this stage but i personaly wouldn’t be too shocked if he doesn’t win and i think this recent loss was due to the coach swap- even tho it was still a great time
Also well done to merritt on a awesome time aswel- anyone know what his PB is?
I think theres a couple things that make his 2nd place insignificant:
1. Its the first time this season (I believe) he purposely focused on running the first 200m hard, unlike his last race when he took it out easy.
2. Its only 1 time in 2-3 years he has finished 2nd.
3. It wasnt a bad time by any means.
4. It actually looked like he could have won if he wanted. It looked like he decided to shut it down for second and then realized “uh oh I dont want to get 2nd” and then fired the engines one last time a little too late.
5. The US 4×400 is gonna rock.
dont think he could have won “if he wanted” at all…that dude ran hard…
anyway, Merrit looks really big and bulky, did he always look like that…
Yea wouldn’t think he could have won if he wanted to. He is a real competitor and would never settle for 2nd.
Looking at the race it does look like he just put too much into that first 120m. Looks like even for Jeremy Wariner having your main competitor inside you can slightly affect how you want to run the race.
I watched that race numerous times and kudos to Merritt. It is great that someone else is stepping into the forefront of the 400m and giving Wariner a challenge. Jeremy is still the top contender but Merritt is going to make for an interesting final in Beijing.
This is an exciting time for track and field and who knows what the summer will bring. The anticipation is killing me. I feel like I am 9 and Christmas is coming up.
I definitely don’t think he could have won. He looked uncharacteristically vulnerable in the homestretch. Plus I think lane selection may have given a slight advantage to Wariner. That doesn’t take anything away from Merritt though, who’s been close in the past but hasnt been able to seal the deal. Both obviously ran very fast times. I think the time alone doesn’t indicate anything other than both are in great shape. The only thing which I could say is slightly alarming is that he lost. IMO, it looks like both have gotten better but Merritt has gotten better MORE. I know over the past couple years he’s been trimming his average margin of defeat to Wariner to where it was under 0.5 seconds last year. For him to finally beat Wariner means that something is going very well. It’s also important to note that Merritt is 2 years younger than Wariner and is actually about equal at the same age as Wariner.
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The discussion between Wariner and Ford after that race must’ve been quite interesting. I guess this is where both will need to step up,if business as usual is not enough.
Wariner won the 400m in Bislett today in 43.98. Maybe he’s ok 😉
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qq4xT7FLi44
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Merritt ran an unchallenged 44.6x yesterday at Pre. Seems like Merritt clearly ‘got up’ for Merritt and Merritt clearly wanted to throw something down to silence the doubters in Bislett.
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He was also quoted as saying he felt some cramping in his calf out of the blocks so he tuned it back a bit at the start.
He was also quoted as saying he felt some cramping in his calf out of the blocks so he tuned it back a bit at the start.
Was this Wariner or Merritt? And before which race?
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Merritt and it was during his 400 race.
I guess it wasn’t a coincidence. Wariner loses to Merritt again. Wariner seemed to let up at the end when he realized he couldn’t catch Merritt. He skipped the victory lap (that top 3 have been taking) and the press conference so he’s obviously well aware of the eyeballs on him.
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Unsure whether Wariner’s strategy was to attempt to run down Merritt in the last 100m, but it looked as though he was conserving till then.
This is a good article pertaining to the topic.
https://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/tim_layden/07/04/track.trials.wariner/
This is a good article pertaining to the topic.
https://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/tim_layden/07/04/track.trials.wariner/
“I did it because I felt like it was time for a change.”
Change? So he wants change from PRing every year and winning nearly every race and championship? Looks like he’s gonna make less money now than if he would have just kept Hart paying him the normal percentage.
Wariner beat Merritt yesterday in Rome by the slimmest of margins (they essentially tied). Apparently, Merritt actually ran down Wariner in the last 100m. Talk about role reversal! Beijing should be interesting. I’m thinking this might pan out as the most exciting event at the games.
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Poetic justice. I am sure coach Hart is devastated. 🙂
I read somewhere (can’t find it now) that Merritt was now working with Hart. If true…talk about adding more pressure to Wariner!!!
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Wariner beat Merritt yesterday in Rome by the slimmest of margins (they essentially tied). Apparently, Merritt actually ran down Wariner in the last 100m. Talk about role reversal! Beijing should be interesting. I’m thinking this might pan out as the most exciting event at the games.
I watched that race live on trackshark and they first announced that Merritt had won. About 5 minutes later they reversed their decision and announced Wariner the winner. crazy.
[quote author="tkaberna" date="1215217288"]Poetic justice. I am sure coach Hart is devastated. 🙂
I read somewhere (can’t find it now) that Merritt was now working with Hart. If true…talk about adding more pressure to Wariner!!![/quote]
I saw that too. How is that possible? USA trials TV coverage said Hart was still at Baylor (training Sanya) and he was present for almost all of Wariner’s workouts even though he’s not advising him anymore. How would he be coaching Merritt? Internet workouts?
Here’s the article that mentions a Merritt and Hart connection. Could be nothing / sloppy reporting: https://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080705/sp_afp/oly2008athleticsusawariner_080705154955
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Here’s the article that mentions a Merritt and Hart connection. Could be nothing / sloppy reporting: https://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080705/sp_afp/oly2008athleticsusawariner_080705154955
Probably sloppy reporting. They even asked him about the coaching change post race Oly Trials. I’m sure if Wariner dropped Hart AND Hart was coaching Merritt the media would have been all over it.
Yeah. I don’t doubt that’s the case. It sure would make for some great drama though…Wariner leaves Hart as number 1 then Hart helps number 2 guy beat Wariner.
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New article with more details on the split.
Here’s the most interesting excerpt (IMO) from the entire article:
“I didn’t do it to save a few dollars, to start off with,” Wariner said. “I did it because I felt like it was time for a change. Coach Ford, my new coach, has the same philosophy as coach Hart. My workouts are exactly the same.”
Not true, said Darold Williamson, Wariner’s training partner and a former teammate at Baylor who also cut ties with Hart and hired Ford as his personal coach.
Williamson said Ford’s regimen calls for more sprint work- regular intervals at 100 and 150 meters- which is something Wariner wanted in 2007 despite Hart’s protestations. Wariner continues to toy with the idea of one day competing in the 200 and 400, just like Johnson did.
Hart wanted Wariner to focus exclusively on the 400, and the dynamic between pupil and teacher changed.
“I was always the boss as the coach,” said Mike Nelson, who coached Wariner at Arlington (Texas) Lamar High School. ” … When you get in the pros, he’s your boss because he’s paying you the money. For me that would be a tough situation, to be the coach of a pro athlete.”
Though Williamson said he has not talked to Wariner in detail about the coaching change, he said Ford is less rigid than Hart and open to change.
[b]“Coach Hart has been doing it so long that he’s like, ‘This is what it is and this is what we’re going to do.’ ” Williamson said. “Times have changed. A lot has changed about the race and the people on the track. You can’t just do what you did the last 35 and 40 years.”[/b]
Added Minor: “The difference is coach Ford is a lot younger and I think he can kind of relate better to Jeremy and Jeremy can be more comfortable sharing his thoughts and everything with coach Ford.”
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